Webster
Top 12 Suburbs of Rochester
I grew up in Webster and know the town like the back of my hand. Webster lays beside Lake Ontario and Irondequoit Bay. Webster is a beautiful town to take a drive, there are so many awesome parks and places to discover.
A Grand Tour of Webster:
STEP 1- As you approach Webster via Rt. 104 and cross the Bay Bridge you will have a great view of the bay. The tall cliffsides lining the Irondequoit Bay have houses perched throughout peeking out through the trees. To the left-hand side, you will see Lake Ontario in the distance. You can often see sailboats and motorboats going about in the Bay as you cross the bridge.
NOTE: The Webster Exits on Route 104 are: Bay Rd., Five-Mile Line Rd., Hard Rd., Holt Rd., Rt. 250/Fairport Nine Mile Point Rd., Phillips Rd., Salt Rd. and County Line Rd. continuing down Route 104 you will come to Union Hill, Ontario Center, Williamson, Sodus.
STEP 2- If you exit at the Bay Rd. you can head North towards Lake Road. On the left-hand side runs the land that lies on Irondequoit Bay. Stoney Point is the name of the point of land that juts out into the Bay. There is high-end real estate throughout this area, some homeowners have beautiful views of the Irondequoit Bay. Most of the homes can be approached from Dewitt Rd. Some streets that you might want to drive down are Dickinson Rd., Ensign Dr., Admiralty Way, N. Cove Dr., Shorewood Dr., and Sundance Trail. Then, take Backus Road back to Bay Road. and head north.
STEP 3- As you approach Lake Rd. (traveling to the West) you will pass Sandbar Park.
NOTE: The Park will be closed starting April 18, 2022, as the Town of Webster is planning to revitalize the waterfront park. The Town of Webster website states that The Sandbar Park Project will address the flooding issue that occurs during high water events and upgrade this underutilized community resource. With over 22 miles of shoreline, Webster has just one mile of public access along the Lake and Irondequoit Bay waterfront.
Sandbar Park
STEP 4- As you continue to drive West you will find Mayer’s Marina on the left-hand side and a walkway on the right-hand side. There is a small parking area and a walkway that leads out to a pier. The pier is well worth the short walk to see the view of Lake Ontario and the lake shoreline.
NOTE: The Irondequoit Bay Outlet Bridge “Swing Bridge” is closed to cars April-November as it is swung away into storage to open the channel for boats to have access from Irondequoit Bay to Lake Ontario. It is swung into place for use by motorists 5 months out of the year November 1-March 31. The bridge is maintained and operated by the Monroe County Department of Transportation DOT.
Webster Harbor Pier
STEP 5- Heading East on Lake Rd. you will find beautiful homes lining both sides of the road. When you come to Vosburg Rd (on the right-hand side) you can take it for a detour to The Hojack Trail, Vosburg Hollow, Gosnell Trails and Gosnell Big Woods Preserve, Whiting Road Nature Preserve, and Webster County Park.
Gosnell Big Woods Preserve
Gosnell Big Woods Preserve
Gosnell Big Woods Preserve
The Hojack Trail
STEP 6- Afterwards, head back to Lake Road the way you came or access it via Pellett Road, Whiting Road, or Holt Road depending on how many of the parks and trails you visited. Just before Nine Mile Point, you will see Hedges Restaurant. It is a popular surf and turf restaurant destination with a lawn with lounge chairs and a gazebo beside the lake.
STEP 7- As you continue your drive down Lake Road to Phillips Road you will come to Four Mile Creek Preserve just beyond on the North-Side is Mill Stream Run and Coastal View Drive that wraps you through the Coastal View Community. Continuing down Lake Rd. just beyond County Line Road is Rustic Taco a great spot for food that has takeout and outside dining options.
Four Mile Creek Preserve
STEP 8- If you continue down Lake Rd you can travel to the towns and hamlets of Ontario, Williamson, Pultneyville, and Sodus Bay. But, if you want to remain in Webster and continue to discover it; then, I suggest you travel down Basket Road to Schlegel Road and you will come to The Webster Arboretum. If you continue down Schlegel Road to Salt Road heading North you will find The Webster Golf Club. Heading down Schlegel to Phillips Road hang a left going South, on the right-hand side is Chiyoda Drive you can take it to the Webster Parks and Recreation or to Webster First Responders Park which has a water park a fun spot for kids to cool off in the Summer.
The Webster Arboretum
Webster Golf Course
Webster Golf Course
Webster Parks & Recreation
STEP 9- As you exit, take Chiyoda Drive which turns into Panama Road and you will come to Orchard Street Kittelberger Florist & Gifts will be on your left-hand side it is a popular spot to shop. Coming to the light you will be at Rt. 250 you can head to the village if you turn left or continue straight down Orchard Street which becomes Orchard Road on the left you will see North Ponds Park which is another popular spot for walking. A paved loop brings you around the ponds.
North Ponds Park
STEP 10- If you decide to head to the Village of Webster there are tons of restaurants to choose from: Pub 235, The Waffle Factory, Roc Style Chicken & Burger Bar, Village Bakery Café, Webster Hots, Rubino’s Italian Submarines, The Filling Station, Jojo Bistro & Wine Bar, Barry’s Old School Irish, Brimont Bistro, Coach Sports Bar, Golden Boys, Maria Mexican, The Cobblestone on Main, Martino’s, BC’s Chicken Coop and Marks Pizzeria are just a few of the many dining selections offered.
STEP 11- If shopping is more your speed you will find a lot of choices at Holt Rd: Hobby Lobby, Kohl’s, HomeGoods, Target, Ulta Beauty, Barnes and Noble, TJ Maxx, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Goodwill. There are food selections here as well: Five Guys, Uno’s Pizzeria & Grill, Chipolte, Cold Stone Creamery, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Buffalo Wild Wings, and a Tropical Smoothie Café. A local favorite is Bruster’s Real Ice Cream which is just down on Ridge Road.
STEP 12- Following Ridge Road, you will continue to Webster Plaza which has more restaurants and businesses: Proietti’s Italian Restaurant, Sogo Japanese Steakhouse, Breathe Yoga, Pet Supplies Plus, Savers, Starbucks, Yolickity and Subway, and the Webster Public Library. Across the way, you will find Hegedorn’s, Guida’s Pizzeria, Webster Wine and Spirits, Bill Gray’s, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Gamestop, T’s Restaurant, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Aldi’s, and Lowes.
STEP 13- As you continue down Ridge Road to Five Mile Line you will see Hooligans Eastside Grill, Nucci’s Italian Seafood & Steak House. And further down Ridge Rd, you will find Seasoning Thai Bistro. Looking for entertainment? AMF Bowling and AMC Webster 12 Movie Theaters are popular spots. Monte Alban, Maa’s Diner, Abbott’s Frozen Custard, La Bella Vita, Empire Pub, Bento-Ya, Fire Crust, Applebee’s Grill, Body Fuel, Ferrari Pizza Bar, Bruegger’s, Flaherty’s Three Flags, Spring Garden and soon to come is Simply Crepes.
STEP 14- Continue down Empire you will find Charlie Riedel’s, and The Peppered Pig. Abraham Lincoln Park might be a nice stop for a hike there is a play area for kids as well. Continue down Empire Blvd. you will see Brody’s on the Bay, the Southpoint Marina, and the ever-popular K2 Brothers Brewing. The Lucien Morin Park is a great spot for hiking the wetland and birdwatching. BayCreek Paddling Center has canoe & kayak rentals. LaSalle’s Landing Park is a nature preserve on Irondequoit Bay. Continue on Empire up the hill and you will come to Rt. 590.
Enjoy your tour of Webster, NY and let me know how it went.
Some fun historical town facts:
- It was originally known as North Penfield before it was established as a separate town.
- It was named after the famous Massachusetts senator and statesman Daniel Webster.
- The town’s motto is: “Where Life is Worth Living”.
- Located in the fertile Lake Ontario fruit belt, the area attracted large groups of Dutch and German immigrants in the 1850s who became Webster’s first fruit farmers
- The town also contains a village. After World War I, it continued as the shipping center for the area’s dried apple industry and also had the world’s largest basket factory, and was the center of the canning industry in Monroe County.
- The junction of Ridge Road and Webster Nine-Mile Point Road, which connected shipping points on the Erie Canal and the New York Central Railroad with a small port on Lake Ontario
- 1900 The First Bank was established and the Rochester Sodus Bay Trolley connected Webster to Rochester leading to a major expansion of the village residential area. The section of Lapham Park, Elm Street, Dunning Avenue, and Park Avenue.
- In late 1950 the Village annexed 182 acres of land that became the home of the Xerox Corporation.
- In 2005 the Village celebrated its centennial year.
